As For Now
by International08
Summary: One more for the post-Knockout files.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Castle buried his face in his hands, blocking out the too-bright light shining from fluorescent bulbs and the too-clean smell of disinfectants.

He couldn't quite remember how he'd gotten here. His mother maybe, or one of the boys, he figured. Someone still here in the waiting room had seen that he simply couldn't manage. He couldn't drive safely, not now, and they hadn't wanted yet another casualty of this horrible day.

Someone had cleaned him up, too. Lanie perhaps? He knew at some point Kate's blood had been on his hands, on his black shirt and suit jacket. His hands were pink now and smelled faintly of lemon, the shirt he wore a loose blue scrub top.

He could hear quiet voices around him, the soft hiss of his mother shushing his daughter, the gentle timbre of Esposito talking to Ryan (apologizing for something?), the thin whispers of a frantic father's prayer.

He had never been religious, never been a praying man. He respected those with faith in a higher power but couldn't find room for it in his own life. He had read the Bible but treated it like an epic piece of literature, stories with good morals and lessons to live by, but nothing more.

Now, though, he wished a priest was there to speak words of comfort, to intercede on their behalf, on Kate's behalf, on his behalf. He knew that Ryan and Esposito had both grown up Catholic but that neither one really practiced much of anything now. He was sure the hospital had a chaplain, but he didn't know how to ask, didn't want to seem as desperate as he really was.

So he sat, face in his hands, waiting. Waiting for a doctor to come and give them a report, waiting to feel his heart leap with hope or joy or fall in desolate defeat. He was impatient, addicted to the instant gratification that came from living in a digital age and having enough money to get anything he wanted.

Money couldn't make a difference now. It hadn't been enough to keep her safe, to keep her from getting shot, to keep her blood inside her body where it belonged. What use was all his money if it couldn't help him hold onto one of the two things in his world that made life worth living?

A hand landed on his shoulder and he startled, nearly shooting out of his seat. Was there news?

But no, it wasn't a doctor. It was Jim Beckett.

Jim Beckett, who upon their first meeting had begged him to talk her down, to pull her away from the ledge, to keep her safe. Jim Beckett, who had already lost his wife and who had nearly lost his daughter while he drowned in the bottle. Jim Beckett, who looked like he had aged twenty years in the past few days, not to mention the past few hours.

Castle was suddenly overcome with shame as he saw the compassion in the older man's eyes. Who was he to sit here and wallow, especially next to this man who had been through so much? He should be the strong one, the one who held the others together with his easy smile and his ability to find light in the darkest of circumstances.

"Thank you, Rick," Mr. Beckett said quietly, squeezing the writer's shoulder with a firm grip.

To say Castle was mystified would be an understatement. He couldn't understand why he should deserve gratitude when he'd done nothing right. He hadn't been able to talk her into walking away. He hadn't been able to act quickly enough to knock her out of harm's way.

"For what?" he choked out.

"For standing with my daughter. For taking her in when her apartment blew up. For making her laugh. For giving her something to talk about when we met for dinner. You have no idea how many stories she's told me about you."

Castle let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob.

"For saving her life so many times, in ways more than you know."

The dam broke then, and the tears he'd been holding in burst forth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, sir..."

He knew his words were getting jumbled and muffled by his tears, but he couldn't stop the torrent of either. The grip on his shoulder tightened then released as Jim Beckett guided the writer's head to his shoulder, rubbing small circles into his upper back as he sobbed.

Richard Castle had been comforted by his mother many times, even his daughter a few times. But he had never known a father's deep voice, murmuring assurances into his ear.

"It's okay, son, it's okay. Just get it out, get it all out now so that when my Katie comes to, you can make her smile again."

Slowly, the body-wracking sobs turned to clogged hiccups, then to sniffles. Jim Beckett let his hands drop back to the armrests of the chairs that held them up, and finally Castle straightened his back, lifting his fists to rub at his eyes, looking simultaneously much older and much younger than his forty years.

When he had calmed more and only reddened eyes and tear-stained cheeks served as a reminder of his breakdown, he turned to look at his partner's father. He was reminded of the first case he'd worked with Kate Beckett, of Jonathan Tisdale, grieving at the loss of his daughter and struggling with his own mortality.

Jim looked tired, exhausted really, and though he didn't have the sick look about him that Tisdale had, Castle could tell he was stretched too thin, had been for a long time. Too many nights worrying about his daughter, defender of the people and voice for the silenced.

He was shaken from his thoughts and worry by the older man's voice.

"Did you know that she called me after that first case? She said she had been so excited to meet you but you were an arrogant wise-ass who couldn't take anything seriously."

Castle dropped his head. He knew he had changed in their years working together, but it still hurt to remember the man he'd been before.

"She was so frustrated when the mayor forced her to let you follow her around. She ranted and raved for about half an hour, before I reminded her that somewhere in there had to be the man whose words had enthralled her, had given her a small measure of peace and justice through his stories."

Castle looked up, surprised, but Jim continued.

"She rolled her eyes at me."

A hint of a smile appeared on the writer's face.

"Eventually though, the stories she told changed. Instead of 'Castle almost got himself killed today,' she would say 'Castle thought of such and such and it ended up being the key to the case."

"I'm surprised she would admit such a thing," Castle said, taking in Mr. Beckett's look. "Usually she rolls her eyes at me too."

"I remember sitting down with her at the diner after Dick Coonan. She said you put up a hundred thousand dollars to track down that Rathborne?"

Castle nodded. Jim shook his head.

"I think that's when she started to see you as more than this annoying writer who shadowed her. She couldn't believe you'd done that."

"I'd give up everything I own if it meant giving her justice, giving her closure," Castle whispered, meeting Jim's gaze, which softened toward him.

"I know you would, son," he said, clapping a hand on the writer's shoulder and looking him straight in the eyes. "From what I've seen, you'd give up a lot more than everything you own if it meant giving my daughter what she needed."

Castle felt himself blush under the man's scrutiny, but he didn't utter a word. Not a denial. Not a justification. Nothing.

"Just remember you have your own daughter, and she needs you. Kate would hate herself if Alexis had to go through the same thing she did. Don't make either one of them bear that burden."

"Yes, sir," Castle whispered, nodding.

Jim turned and looked across the room at where Castle's mother and daughter sat, watching them with wary and worried eyes. The writer hadn't realized it before, but until his partner's father had come to him, the others had left him by himself, sensing his need to be alone with his thoughts.

Upon seeing her father's eyes on her, Alexis stood and crossed the room quickly, not waiting for an invitation before she settled herself on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her face into his shoulder.

He allowed himself to hold her, to draw peace from her closeness and to comfort her at the same time with soft promises and a warm hand stroking across her fiery hair and down her back.

He watched as a flash of something like regret crossed the older man's face before he gave a somber smile.

"As for now, we wait."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

* * *

><p>And wait they did. For hours that felt like days, like an eternity to Richard Castle.<p>

Alexis was asleep in his arms, her solid weight and steady breathing a comfort to him.

Jenny had joined her fiancé and sat next to him, rubbing soothing circles into the young man's back. Esposito and Lanie sat huddled together, holding one another's hands tightly while the M.E. leaned into the detective's shoulder.

With Jim Beckett still next to the writer, Martha had come to sit on Castle's other side, alternating between rubbing his shoulder and stroking the back of his head.

Though they were all exhausted, there had been an unspoken agreement that someone needed to stay awake, to be alert in case there was news.

Castle himself had dozed off for a little while, lulled by the warmth of his daughter and the regularity of her heartbeat against his chest.

He awoke to find Ryan watching him somberly, giving him a slight nod and a tight smile before the blue-eyed detective allowed himself to lean back in the uncomfortable chair and rest his temple against Jenny's.

Without warning, the door to the private waiting room slammed open, framing a tall figure in green scrubs, unshaven and breathing heavily.

He looked wild-eyed around the room, after a moment settling his gaze on Castle, who was already standing and depositing his daughter in the vacated chair.

"Josh..." he began, but the doctor cut him off.

"I was on shift until early this morning and I forgot to plug my phone in when I got home and went to bed. I woke up with a sick feeling a little while ago and when I finally got it working, I had a message from one of my friends that Kate had been brought in. What happened?"

He looked lost, and Castle couldn't blame him. Raising a hand to the other man's shoulder, the writer guided him to sit down.

"She was shot, Josh," he said, but as he started to think of how he would explain why or even where, he realized he wasn't sure how much the doctor knew about this case or how much Kate would want him to know. He was saved by a question.

"Have...have you heard anything?"

"Not yet, we just know they took her directly into surgery when they brought her in. That was a few hours ago."

The surgeon leaned forward, elbow on his knees, fingers interlocking behind his neck. He was pale, Castle noticed, lacking his usual tan, and he looked like he might throw up right there in the waiting room. After a few moments, he stood, and Castle was glad to see the resolve on his face.

"Let me...let me see what I can find out. I work here, and I know most of the staff, so maybe they can give me an update. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He looked around the room once more, his eyes widening a little when they found his girlfriend's father. A moment later he was crouching before the older man, reaching forward to shake his hand.

"I'm sorry we're meeting under these circumstances, Mr. Beckett."

Jim looked as though he wanted to ask something, but before he could get it out, Josh was hurrying away, back through the door he'd entered by, a man on a mission.

Castle took the seat next to him, taking in the older man's confused expression.

"That was Josh," Castle said in answer to the unspoken question. He waited for the light of recognition to appear but it never did.

"Kate's boyfriend," he prompted. "He's a cardiac surgeon."

"Oh," came the answer. "I remember Katie mentioning him several months ago. Last summer actually. I didn't realize they were still dating."

"He travels a lot," Castle said, feeling the need to give some kind of an explanation. "Doctors Without Borders. That's probably why Kate hasn't had a chance to introduce you yet."

"Mmm," Jim hummed in acknowledgment. "Maybe so."

They drifted into silence once more, waiting for news, waiting for Josh to come back.

He felt his stomach rumble and ignored it. He wasn't about to leave to get food. A few minutes later, however, he heard an answering growl from Jim's direction.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"I am, but I don't want to leave."

"Hold on, let me see what I can do."

Castle walked slowly to the nurses' station.

"I'm sorry, sir," the woman said upon seeing his approach. "We still don't have any news on Detective Beckett."

"I know you would have told us if you did," he said kindly. "I was just wondering if it would be okay for me to have someone bring in some food. We're all getting kind of hungry, but none of us want to leave. I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a disturbance."

"We don't really allow deliveries," she said hesitantly.

"It wouldn't really be a delivery person," he replied. "I have a driver who occasionally runs other errands for me. I could have him pick something up and bring it here."

She began to look a little more accepting of his suggestion.

"And I'd be glad to provide dinner for your staff here as well," he said, gesturing to another nurse who had just walked in along with two young men, one of whom looked like an orderly, and another who was taking a stack of papers to a filing cabinet in the corner.

The first nurse nodded.

"Alright, I guess that would be okay. And thank you for your generosity."

He smiled and turned away from the desk. Bringing his phone to his ear, he placed a quick call to his driver, asking the man to pick up several pizzas and giving him precise directions on where to find them once he got to the hospital.

Ending the call, he looked up to find Jim's eyes on him again. Castle shrugged gently and made his way back to the chair, sitting down heavily.

"There's nothing I can do to take care of her right now," he said. "The least I can do is make sure the rest of us are okay."

Mr. Beckett nodded in understanding.

"Thanks, Rick," he said, patting the younger man on the back. "My daughter...all of us...we're lucky to have you."

Castle gave a half-smile.

"Not nearly as lucky as I am," he answered as his gaze drifted over his mother and daughter, over Lanie and Esposito, Ryan and Jenny, before coming back to Jim.

"Food will be here soon, and hopefully Josh will come back with good news before too long."

The pizza arrived just before Josh did. They had all dug in, Castle leaving two of the pizzas at the nurses' station with a tight smile and a nod. There was none of the laughter and joking that usually appeared when he shared takeout with the detectives and occasionally Lanie, nor any of the gentle ribbing or affectionate touches that accompanied dinners with his mother and daughter. They simply ate, solely for the purpose of keeping themselves going.

But when the door opened again, they all froze. Castle's slice of pepperoni, halfway to his mouth, dropped back to the napkin on his lap.

"She's stable," Josh reported breathlessly, looking as if he'd run through the halls in his haste to tell them. Castle suspected it was more from mixed adrenaline and fatigue. He beckoned the man to an empty chair and set a pizza box and a Coke next to him. The doctor nodded gratefully.

"I got there just as they were bringing her out of surgery," he said. "She's nowhere near out of the woods, and they've still got her in ICU, but they're hopeful."

Castle felt himself let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and saw that the others seemed to be doing the same.

"They asked me to give them a little bit to get her settled and make sure all her vitals are where they should be. But then I can take a couple people back."

Josh took a bite of his pizza, looking to Jim in an unspoken question of who would go with him. The eldest of the group glanced over at Castle, finding him leaning over with his eyes closed, though whether in relief or silent supplication, he wasn't sure. He looked next to Lanie, his daughter's best friend, who was also watching the writer. She caught his eye and inclined her head toward the hunched man, affirming the decision that had already been made. Jim nodded and looked back at Josh.

"What else can you tell us? Damage?"

Josh visibly winced at the thought of detailing his girlfriend's injuries to her father, but he knew that they all needed as much information as possible.

"The bullet passed through her stomach. I won't say it wasn't a mess, but they were able to stitch everything up. The biggest worry now is infection. If they can keep her from getting an infection, or at least treat it quickly if she does, she should be okay with time."

The room was silent for a few moments as they all processed the information. Josh finished his second slice and stood.

"Thanks for the pizza. Mr. Beckett?"

The older man rose from his seat, and reached over to place a hand on Castle's shoulder. The author still hadn't opened his eyes.

"Come on, Rick."

Castle looked up suddenly, confused.

"No, Lanie should go. She's Kate's best friend. Or Javier or Ryan...they're her partners."

He sought out their eyes, and though they still looked worried, they also looked determined and hopeful.

"You're her partner, bro," Esposito encouraged. "Go on."

Lanie nodded.

"She wouldn't have survived the past few days if it weren't for you, Writer Boy."

Out of the corner of his eye, Castle caught Josh's sharp look, but he just nodded to Lanie and the rest and turned back to Jim and the surgeon.

"Okay, let's go."

As he followed the two men out, he looked back at his family.

"Mom, you and Alexis should go home. I'll keep you updated, but you both need to get some rest. You can come back tomorrow."

They nodded at him and watched as he squared his shoulders and left the waiting room.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

Author's note: Well, this one just wrote itself, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it.

* * *

><p>The walk through the hospital corridors was silent, marred only by the soft squeak of the surgeon's sneakers and the sharp tattoo of the shiny dress shoes worn by the father and the partner.<p>

Josh ushered them into the ICU and to a hand-washing station before stopping them at a door.

"She...doesn't look like herself right now," he said hesitantly. "She's heavily medicated and has a lot of tubes and wires connected to her body. I just wanted to warn you. It can be kind of shocking for some people."

When Jim replied, his voice was rough.

"As long as she's alive, I don't think either one of us cares what she looks like."

Josh nodded sympathetically. Castle steeled himself for the worst, knowing that in reality, the worst he could have imagined was already an unfulfilled possibility. She was alive, and that's all that mattered.

The surgeon entered, holding the door open for the other two before shutting it carefully behind him.

He was right, she didn't look like herself. She was pale as a ghost and looked tiny in the loose hospital gown with what seemed to Castle to be dozens of wires and tubes leading to various machines.

Her hair was still in the bun she'd been wearing for the funeral, though much of it had come out, making her look like a ragamuffin, a weary street-dweller. She didn't look at all like the tough detective and strong woman he knew her to be.

Josh stood at the foot of the bed, picking up her chart and flipping through it slowly. Jim made his way to stand near her head, not touching her, just staring at her ashen face. Castle stood back. He was inside the room, but he felt apart from it all, as though he didn't belong and had no place here.

Josh glanced up at Jim whose hand was hovering near his daughter's face.

"You can touch her, sir," he said quietly. "Just mind the tubes and wires."

Kate's father allowed his hand to glide across her cheeks, brushing the hair away from her face and smoothing it against her head. He dropped to the now looser band that had held her bun in place, gently removing it and combing his fingers slowly through her dark locks to arrange them against the stark white of the hospital pillow.

That task finished, the older man looked around for a moment. Castle, anticipating his need, acted quickly and set a chair just behind him. Jim gave him a grateful smile and settled in, reaching for Kate's right hand and caressing it with his thumb.

Castle sat in another chair against the wall, observing the scene. He had no true claim on her. He wasn't her father or her boyfriend or even technically her partner. He was her shadow, her tagalong, and to be honest, after their fight earlier this week, he wasn't even sure he was that. They hadn't talked yet, not about anything more than the case or Roy or the funeral. And while he hoped that she would take him back once she was on her feet again, he had no way of knowing for sure that the two of them were okay. There had been that look she had given him at the funeral, the look that implied she wanted him to be the one who would stand with her. But in the case of Detective Katherine Beckett, he knew it unwise to assume.

Josh's voice broke into his thoughts.

"I hate to do this, but I've got to go out for a bit," he said haltingly. "I was supposed to leave on Saturday for Japan, but I'm not going to go, not now. However, I do need to let them know that they'll have to find someone else. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He looked to Jim and then to Castle, and pointed to a small device on the side of the bed.

"They're monitoring her vitals, but if she needs anything or either of you notice anything wrong, hit the call button. I'll let the ICU staff know that you're here."

The two other men nodded their acknowledgment and thanks. Josh turned away, but as he placed his hand on the doorknob, he pivoted back.

"Castle, could I have a word?"

The writer was surprised, but stood and followed him outside, waiting.

"Look, I haven't seen Kate much this week. I had to work a ton, and she said she was busy too, so I don't really know what all has gone on."

"Josh, I don't know how much I..." He was cut off when the other man raised a hand to stop him.

"No, I understand. She doesn't tell me everything about her job, and I don't tell her everything about mine."

Castle was relieved. He didn't want to reveal more than Kate would want him to say.

"From what she has told me though, and from what I saw a couple months ago with the freezer, I know you've got her back."

Castle nodded solemnly.

"So what I'm saying is that even though you don't have a badge, you're as good as her partner, and I know she values your friendship."

Castle felt his eyes welling up again, but fought back the tears, determined not to break down in front of the other man.

"I know you're probably feeling pretty helpless right now and wishing you could have done something more to help her."

Castle nodded. It was all too true. He felt utterly useless.

"So I've got a job for you," Josh said, as Castle lifted an eyebrow.

"I'll be here as much as I can, but could you make sure that someone stays with her all the time?"

He paused, but Castle stayed silent, sensing that the doctor had more to say.

"It's just... when I was in college, I got in a bad bike accident. It's actually the reason I became a doctor. And even though I found out later that my parents were around nearly all the time, I happened to wake up during one of the few brief periods when they weren't there. I was absolutely terrified. It's bad enough to wake up in a hospital in horrible pain. It's ten times worse to wake up alone."

Castle looked stricken for a moment, but found his voice.

"I'll stay."

Josh searched his eyes.

"I just don't want her to go through that. I want her to see at least one familiar face when she comes to."

"I don't know about her dad, but the others will have to go back to work. My mother has other responsibilities and my daughter has school. I know everyone will visit, but they can't be here all the time. But I can have someone bring my laptop and I can work from here. I won't let her wake up alone."

His voice had gained strength as he spoke, and Josh appeared to have found what he was looking for in the author's firm gaze.

"Good," he said, reaching out to shake Castle's hand. "Thank you. I'll be back when I can. On my way out I'll let the others know where she is and that you'll be staying here."

He headed off down the hall, and Castle pushed open the door to the room once more, finding Jim still watching his daughter, gently stroking her arm and softly humming a tune that the writer couldn't quite place.

"Pull up a chair, Rick," he commanded gently.

Castle made haste to pick up his chair from where it rested against the wall and moved around to the detective's other side.

He didn't know what to do, but Jim was looking at him expectantly, so he took her hand, careful to avoid the IV line, and unfurled her fingers, softly running his thumb over her knuckles.

"He wanted to make sure someone would be here when she wakes up," he said quietly.

Jim arched an eyebrow at him.

"I know you'll be here as much as possible, but I wasn't sure if you had a job or a dog or anything that would take you away. The others have work or school, and I know they'll be here when they can, but if you do need to go anywhere, I can stay. She sort of is my job, and if someone will bring my laptop, I can just write from here."

Her father nodded.

"Sounds good. I'll stay as long as I can, and I'll take a couple days off, but in any case, she should have someone here all the time, even after she's woken up."

The two lapsed into silence then, both gazing at the woman they loved. A few minutes later, Castle's phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Lanie.

_Gonna head home now and come back in the morning. Josh said she probably wouldn't wake up until then anyway. Call if anything changes._

He fired off a quick reply, assuring her that he would keep her updated and asking her to have Javier check on Martha and Alexis.

Her reply was immediate.

_Will do. Take care of our girl._

He slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Lanie," he said by way of explanation to Jim. "She said they're all headed home but will be back in the morning, or sooner if anything changes."

"I'm glad she has such good friends," Jim commented. "I've always worried about the way she throws herself into her work. Even when she was a little girl, she would get involved in something and forget to eat."

He smiled, a genuine smile that didn't seem forced this time.

"I hear you keep her well supplied with coffee, bear claws and takeout."

Castle released a grin of his own.

"I do," he affirmed. "I think that's the only reason she lets me hang around."

"Maybe."

Jim stood then and released her hand after a quick squeeze.

"If you'll keep an eye on her for a few minutes, I'm gonna run to the restroom."

Castle nodded, and watched him walk toward the door, catching his eye as he stepped out.

"Talk to her, Rick, let her know you're here."

Silence descended on the room with the soft click of the door in the latch.

He stared at her face, beautiful to him even in her weakest moment. He longed to see her eyes flutter open, to hear her tell him how creepy it was to watch her sleep. But she stayed under, so he began to speak.

"You know," he said softly. "I used to make up stories for Alexis when she was younger. Yeah, she heard all the classics too, but when I'd read all of those, I started telling her some of my own. Would you like to hear one?"

His voice was low and deep as he began to weave a tale of a beautiful princess with green eyes, both the fairest and the fiercest in the land. He told her about the princess who didn't stay locked up in her tower all day but rode out to battle evil sorcerers and slay dragons.

His words hitched in his throat when he began the part about the lowly bard who fell in love with her, the bard who feared she'd never love him, not when she had knights and healers seeking her hand. But she allowed him to travel with her on her journeys, and the bard had vowed, he said, to keep her safe.

He wasn't very good at it sometimes, and a day came when a particularly powerful dragon had wounded her, leaving her half-dead and the bard powerless to heal her. But the bard would stay by her side, he promised, _always_.

Castle paused in his narration, so wrapped up in the story that he didn't realize Jim had reentered the room and now stood by the door.

"Your stories brought her back to life once," he said, nearly startling Castle out of his chair. "Keep it up. Maybe they'll do it again."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean my stories brought her back to life?" the writer asked, regaining his composure.<p>

Jim sighed, and plopped back into his chair at Kate's side, lifting her hand and ensconcing it in his own.

"She'd probably be mortified if she knew I was telling you this, but maybe it's time you knew."

"Knew what?"

"After my Johanna was murdered, Katie and I were both in a very bad place," he began. "She took a semester off from school. I took a year off from life."

Castle took in the man's shadowed face, the shame he clearly still felt at emotionally abandoning his little girl during the darkest period of her life.

"I started drinking heavily, and Katie had to drag me out of a bar and drape me over the toilet more than once. Not to mention all the times she came home and found me sprawled on the couch with an empty fifth on the floor next to me."

He shook his head, a far-off look in his eyes.

"I still haven't forgiven myself for doing that to her. She'd just lost her mother. She didn't need to lose me too."

Castle watched the man grimace in remembered pain before seeming to push it back.

"Anyway," Jim continued. "In some of my rare sober moments, I noticed that she always seemed to have a book with her. Katie had always been a reader, but what caught my attention was that they were all by the same author: you."

The writer was taken aback. He had known Kate was a fan and that she'd read some of his lesser-known works. But she had never told him this much.

"Katie was always one for the classics. She didn't read much that was very modern, and she'd never really been into murder mysteries. So I'd never heard of you, no offense."

"None taken," Castle said quietly.

"One day when she was back at school, I picked up one of your books from where she'd left it on the coffee table. I think it was 'Gathering Storm.' I was surprised to see what kind of book it was. I couldn't fathom how she could voluntarily read about murder after what had happened."

"I can see how you would wonder," Castle nodded.

"But I asked her about the books one day. Do you know what she told me?"

"What?" the author asked.

"She said that even though the stories were tragic, they were also beautiful."

Castle lifted his eyebrows.

"Beautiful?"

"Beautiful," Jim affirmed. "Because your victims were treated with respect and honor. Because your investigators were sincere and driven. Because they always found justice for the dead."

The blue-eyed man felt goosebumps erupt on his arms. He thought his writing had never been paid a higher compliment.

"She said that?" he asked.

"She did. And as the months passed, I watched as her desperation was replaced by hope and the fear in her eyes gave way to a kind of passion I'd never seen in her. Your books did that, Rick."

Castle leaned back in his chair but didn't let go of her hand. Jim Beckett turned his eyes away from the other man and toward his daughter once more, reaching up to straighten the blankets across her torso.

Silence reigned after that for a long while. An hour passed, and then two, each man absorbed in his own thoughts. Finally, Castle spoke.

"I'm surprised no one's come in to try to kick us out yet."

"They won't," Jim answered. "I stopped by the nurse's station on my way back from the restroom earlier. They said Dr. Davidson—that's Josh, right?—had asked them to let one or both of us stay as long as we liked."

"Ahh, that explains it then," Castle said.

"He seems to be a good man," her father observed, glancing at Castle who was staring at his partner's too white hand, tucked neatly into his own.

"He really is," Castle confirmed. "He cares about her."

"But she doesn't love him."

Castle looked up slowly, meeting the older man's eyes with a carefully neutral expression.

"What makes you say that?" he questioned.

Jim waved his free hand dismissively.

"This and that," he said. "Mostly that I'd never met him before today and only heard his name once or twice last summer."

"Well, like I said, he travels a lot."

"Maybe so, but if she was that serious about him, I'd have met him."

He paused and looked at his daughter, perhaps to make certain that she hadn't woken up in the midst of their discussion of her love life.

"I met all of her boyfriends in high school. She lived at home, so it was unavoidable. When she went to college, I met one or two, the ones she really liked. But after that, once she got through the academy and started her career, she only introduced me to one."

"Who?" Castle asked.

"That FBI agent, Will or something."

"Will Sorenson," the writer supplied.

"That's the one. They were serious. She told me once that she could see herself marrying him."

"Oh," Castle said. "I didn't know that."

"But when he left, he broke her heart," Jim sighed. "Since then, I haven't met any of them. It's not like I live far away, and we meet regularly for dinner, so she could have brought someone along. But she hasn't. That's how I know."

He ran his hand through his gray hair and turned back to look at the younger man across the bed.

"You have a daughter, you know what it's like," he said. "We know things about our little girls that no one else does. We know when they're hurt, when they're happy...when they're in love."

He paused and seemed to debate the wisdom of his next words.

"When Katie talks about you, her eyes light up. Even at the start, when she found you so irritating—"

Castle winced.

"Even then, I could see it."

"See what?" Castle asked, finding himself longing to know what Jim Beckett had seen in his daughter.

"I could see that she was fighting a smile, fighting off genuine affection. Eventually, after you proved yourself, she stopped fighting it so much."

"I know she cares about me," Castle said softly. "We're friends, after all."

"Yes, but you see, it's different when she talks about Javier or Kevin," he said, leaning in as if he was imparting the secret of life. "She sees them as brothers, sometimes as the older brothers who protect her and tease her, sometimes as younger brothers who she has to keep in line. But with you it's different."

"Different how?" the writer asked.

"I'm not sure I can explain it, son," he said. "It's the tone of her voice and the sparkle in her eyes when she talks about how you came up with some crazy theory that turned out to be right or how you pulled the wires out of a dirty bomb to diffuse it."

"She told you about that?" Castle asked incredulously.

"She did," Jim answered. "She came to visit me the next day and had every blanket in the house wrapped around her within a few minutes. I think she just needed the comfort, even though everything had turned out okay."

Castle nodded, remembering his own hours in front of the fire with steaming bowls of soup and cups of hot chocolate, feeling like he'd never be warm again.

"My point is," her father began, looking the writer straight in the eye. "My point is that you make her smile, you challenge her, but you also support her. You are her partner in the truest sense of the word. And whether you know it or not, you and your words have always given her hope, helped her see light in the darkest of times."

Castle was humbled, and felt himself choking up.

"I promise you, sir, I'll always be there for her."

"I know you will, Rick," he said. "Because that's what we do for the people we love. And you love my daughter."

Castle felt the same way he had after his conversation with his mother a few evenings prior. He couldn't deny it.

"I do."

"Then you need to tell her, son."

"I did," he said, in a strangled voice. "After she was shot. I'm not sure she heard me."

Jim looked at him with an unreadable expression for a moment. Then he reached across Kate's middle to pat the younger man on the arm.

"In that case, you'll just have to tell her again."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

* * *

><p>Castle was just about to respond to Jim's calmly stated suggestion when the door opened. It was Josh, wearing different clothes and looking as though he had at least showered and shaved, if not slept.<p>

"Hey," he said to the two men as he came to stand by the foot of the bed. "How's our patient?"

"Nothing's changed," Jim answered. "Is that good or bad?"

"At this point, as long as all her vitals are steady, no news is good news," the doctor said. "They don't want her to wake up for several hours yet, mostly to give her body time to start the healing process."

Her father nodded. Castle began to stand, releasing the hand that he'd held for the past several hours.

"Have a seat, Josh."

"No, no, it's okay," the man said quickly. "I'll just go grab a chair from outside. Be right back."

He strode purposefully from the room, shutting the door gently behind him.

"What are you doing, Rick?" Jim asked quietly.

The writer's eyes flew to his.

"I-I just figured he'd want to sit with her. He's her boyfriend."

"And you're the man she loves. Don't abandon her just because you think you don't have a right to be here. You do."

"I won't make her choose between us," Castle said softly. "She doesn't need that."

"No, what she needs is her partner here supporting her," Jim said with a stern gaze. "What she doesn't need is for you to make her choice for her."

"Yes, sir," Castle answered just as Josh reentered the room.

He took his chair to the other side of Castle's but stood looking at all the monitors for a moment before he sat, seemingly satisfied with what he saw.

There were a few moments of quiet as Josh settled in with a sigh, reaching up to brush a lock of hair away from the injured detective's face in a gentle caress.

It was Jim that broke the silence.

"What made you decide to become a doctor?"

"Well," Josh said, gently clearing his throat, "When I was a freshman in college, before I had decided on a major, I got into a bad motorcycle accident."

Castle saw her father's slight wince, and supposed that the man was probably imagining his daughter in similar situations when she had first gotten her bike.

"No lasting damage, but I spent a few weeks in the hospital," he continued. "And even though I was mostly miserable, it was also kind of fascinating."

"How so?" Castle chimed in.

"I had this one doctor, a guy in his early thirties, and he wasn't my primary, but he'd taken care of me when I first was brought in. He came back to check on me several times while I was there. He couldn't tell me specifics about his patients of course, but he told me a few stories, told me about the rush of working to save someone's life, the reward of knowing that because of your work, someone would live another day."

The other men nodded. They could see the draw.

"So I decided to go pre-med. I figured I'd be a trauma surgeon, but we watched this one procedure on a little boy who had a heart defect."

He paused, looked thoughtful for a moment, and then continued.

"He wouldn't have lived past his teens, but they were able to repair it, and last I heard, he'd just finished college. After that procedure was when I decided I wanted to be a cardiac surgeon."

"I hear you're involved in Doctors Without Borders as well. What's that like?" Jim asked, keeping the conversation going. Castle expected that his partner's father was trying to avoid any awkward silences between the three of them.

"It is truly amazing to be able to work with people in desperate situations, whether it's because of a disaster or conflict or just poverty," Josh said, his eyes lighting up. "It really makes you realize how many needy people there are in the world, and I consider it a blessing to be able to help some of them."

Castle watched the doctor's posture relax as he talked about his work, but he also caught the slight tension in Jim Beckett's smile while he listened.

"How often do you travel?" the older man asked.

"It depends in large part on my patients here," Josh said. "If I'm between patients, sometimes I'm able to take off for a week or two, maybe a month, depending on what's going on. The hospital is really good about it, so usually I'm able to do 3 or 4 trips a year."

"You must really love it," Jim said, and Castle was able to discern the challenge in the older man's voice, though he didn't think Josh had heard it.

"I do. I've considered doing it full time."

"Why don't you?" The question was quiet, but laced with tension.

"A few reasons," the young doctor answered. "I want to finish paying off my student loans first and be a little more financially secure so I can take care of a family, if or when that time comes. Others as well, that are more complex and less concrete."

Josh had leaned back in his chair, but left his hand on Kate's shoulder, gently rubbing back and forth with his thumb. Jim leaned back as well, letting the matter drop for now.

Castle decided to take the lull as an opportunity to stretch his legs. He carefully tucked Kate's hand under the blanket and stood.

"I'm going to use the restroom and get a drink," he said. "Can I get either of you anything?"

Jim asked for a bottle of water, but Josh declined, so the writer left the room quietly, throwing a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Jim's brow furrow as he considered the younger man now stroking his daughter's arm. He paused, wondering if he should really leave the two of them alone, but his bladder was making itself known and his throat was bone dry.

He took care of business quickly, stopping by a vending machine on his way back to purchase two bottles of water.

There was no one sitting at the nurses' station when he walked by, but he hadn't gone more than a few steps past it when he heard someone call out.

"Mr. Castle?"

He turned to see a young woman poking her head out from the small office behind the desk.

"Yes?"

"How's she doing? The detective?" The woman had a look of genuine concern on her kind face. He could see that she wasn't a nurse or a doctor. For one thing, she was too young. Maybe a college student, doing an internship or working here part-time, he thought.

"She's still out," he said on a sigh. "Dr. Davidson says she won't wake until morning most likely.

"Oh," the young woman said. "Hold on a sec."

She dashed back into the office for a brief moment and returned with three white blankets.

"Here," she said, handing them to the writer. "Dr. Davidson said he was going to stay the night, and he figured you and her dad probably would too. So, in case you get cold or something..."

She trailed off with a slight blush, and he gave her a tired smile as he checked her name tag.

"Thank you...Beth," he said. "That's very kind of you. You're sure we're not breaking any rules?"

"Well, we are," she said hesitantly. "But we make exceptions sometimes, so it's okay."

He gave her a small nod and thanked her again before turning back toward the room. He gathered himself for a moment and pushed the door open once more.

"Hey Rick," Jim greeted him as the writer handed the older man a bottle of water and a blanket. "Thanks."

"Where did the blankets come from?" Josh asked as Castle handed him one of the remaining two.

"The young lady at the desk," he said, unfolding the blanket and tucking it around his legs as he sat. "Beth is her name."

"Ahh, she's a nice girl," the doctor said with a nod. "Student at NYU. She works here part time, keeps the visitor log, helps families with paperwork, that kind of stuff."

He paused, smiling at the writer.

"I think she's a fan of your books too."

"I wondered how she knew my name."

"Well, that, and I signed you and Mr. Beckett in on the visitor log."

Castle nodded and turned to look at his partner's face. She had regained a little of her color. She was still pale, but with hints of pink. No more of the sick gray she had been before.

"She's looking a little better," he commented with a tilt of his head toward the woman in the bed.

"She's getting there," Josh said. "She'll have a long road ahead of her, but I think she'll be okay. The fact that all of her vitals have stayed steady this long is a good sign. Plus, it helps that she's in good shape already."

Castle chuckled.

"She'd have to be to chase down suspects the way she does," he said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the doctor's expression darken slightly, but the man said nothing.

"I hear you've taken part in a few thrilling heroics yourself, Rick," Jim said with a small smile.

"I have," the writer answered contemplatively. "Though looking back, they usually ended with your daughter having to save my ass, so..."

He trailed off as he caught the glint in Jim's eye.

"Not all the time," he said. "From what I've heard, you two are just about even."

Castle didn't know what to say. He was surprised to know that Kate had even admitted to needing saving to her father, much less told him that it had been the overgrown puppy of a writer who had done the saving. He finally settled for a little more humor.

"Well, I am her plucky sidekick," he joked.

"You're her _partner_," Jim amended. "And a damn good one at that."

Once again, the man had managed to humble him and leave him momentarily speechless.

"Thank you, sir," he finally murmured. "I do my best."

"That's all a father can ask," the older man said. "For her to have someone who will stand by her no matter what."

Jim patted Kate's hand, still grasped tightly in his own. Castle kept his eyes on the man for a moment before turning for a quick look at the doctor, who sat watching the rise and fall of his girlfriend's chest, looking distinctly uncomfortable all the while.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

* * *

><p>Castle awoke with a start and struggled at first to remember where he was and what would have caused such a crick in his neck.<p>

The lights were dim as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. There was Jim, head lolled slightly to the side, blanket up to his neck and snoring softly. Josh had slid halfway down his chair and was using the still folded blanket as a makeshift pillow.

He wondered for a moment what had woken him but then realized there was a fifth figure in the room, standing near Kate's head on Jim's side. He was writing on a pad of paper and looked up when he felt Castle's gaze on him.

"Good morning," he said quietly. "I'm sorry if I woke you. I'm Cliff Andrews, Detective Beckett's attending physician."

"Morning," Castle creaked, his voice thick with disuse. "How is she?"

"She's doing well. She should be awake soon," he said.

Castle glanced at his watch, its glowing hands showing him that it was just a few minutes after six o'clock.

The writer nodded, and Dr. Andrews began to head for the door. Castle stood as he passed and followed him outside, turning the door handle so the latch wouldn't sound and wake the other men.

"Is there something you needed?" the doctor asked.

Castle decided to cut to the chase.

"What does her recovery time look like?"

"Well," Andrews hedged, "Barring infection, I'd estimate a few weeks of bed rest, about four months off work, and another two of desk duty."

Castle winced.

"So she's looking at six months of recuperation?"

"At least."

"Is there any way to shorten that time?"

The question hung in the air for a moment and Dr. Andrews looked thoughtful. Finally, he spoke.

"There are physical therapies and treatments that might cut it down substantially," the doctor said. "Maybe to a total of three or four months."

Castle hesitated for a moment before taking the plunge.

"Will her insurance cover them?"

"It's possible. She'd need to check with billing to be certain. Although the city's insurance usually doesn't cover much beyond the minimum, so she shouldn't get her hopes up."

The writer opened his mouth to speak, but the doctor beat him to it.

"If I were you, I'd talk to her father. He may be able to help you set something up, Mr. Castle."

Castle was about to respond, but once again, Dr. Andrews spoke first.

"I saw your name on the visitor log," he said, then added with a chuckle, "and my wife loves your books, so I've seen your face a few times too."

The author gave him a grim smile and reached out to shake the man's hand.

"Thank you for your advice and thank you for your care of Detective Beckett."

Andrews nodded and returned the firm grip before releasing and turning away.

"Dr. Andrews," Castle suddenly called after him, watching as the man turned back. "Please let your wife know that if she'd like, I'd be happy to sign something for her."

The doctor smiled and nodded once more.

"She'd love that, I'm sure."

He disappeared down the hall then, and Castle turned back to reenter the darkened room. All was as he'd left it, except one thing, his keen observation skills realized. Kate's right hand, which had lain flat on the sheets once Jim had released it to get some sleep, now rested against her belly. Her eyes were still closed, and he didn't think she was fully awake, but she must be regaining consciousness.

In two long steps, he was at her side, placing his own warm hand over hers.

"Kate?" he whispered, squeezing her fingers.

Her face scrunched up in a pained grimace, but slowly, ever so slowly, her eyes opened. She blinked for a few moments, and as her eyes regained their focus, Castle found his own becoming fuzzy with tears.

"Hey Castle," she rasped out, her voice quiet and scratchy.

He gave her a watery smile, and reached with his free hand to gently touch her cheek.

"Welcome back, partner."

"I go someplace?" she asked.

"Very nearly," he said softly. "You were shot, remember?"

"Ahh," she whispered, a flash of pain crossing her pale face. "At Roy's funeral. I remember."

He desperately wanted to ask her what else she remembered, but at that moment, Jim awoke as well.

"Katie!"

"Hey, Dad."

Castle stepped back to give the older man space next to his daughter, but he kept hold of her hand. Looking up, he watched as Josh, who had woken at Jim's cry, stood and checked the monitors before leaning down to say hello to his girlfriend. When the doctor straightened up, Castle turned to watch Jim. The man was stroking his daughter's forehead, petting her almost, while she looked up at him adoringly.

"We'll give you a few minutes," Castle said quietly, squeezing her hand once more before heading for the door with a quick glance behind to make sure Josh was following.

The two younger men closed the door behind them, Castle leaning on the wall next to the door, and Josh taking an almost identical position on the opposite wall.

"Her doctor came by a little bit ago," Castle said. "Dr. Andrews."

"He's an excellent physician," Josh replied. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather have taking care of her."

"He said she'd probably have about six months of recovery time."

Josh grimaced.

"She won't like that."

"I know," Castle sighed. "I asked him if there were ways to shorten it, and he said yes, maybe to three or four months, but that her insurance probably wouldn't cover those treatments."

The young doctor ran a frustrated hand through his shaggy black locks.

"Yeah, in my experience, the insurance cops and firefighters have is not extensive."

Castle debated the wisdom of his next words, but knew the truth would out at some point anyway and it might as well be now.

"I want to help her, financially, I mean."

To his credit, Josh reacted with nothing more than a nod.

"Maybe it's not my place, but she's my friend, and if there's anything I can do to make this easier and shorter for her, I want to do it."

"I understand," the doctor said with a shrug. "Good luck getting her to let you do it though."

The writer let out a mirthless chuckle.

"She is an independent one, isn't she?" he asked rhetorically. "Her dad and I get along, so I'm hoping maybe he can help me convince her."

They fell into silence, the two men on opposing walls, each lost in their own thoughts for a long while. Finally the door opened, and there was Jim Beckett, looking weary but very happy for the first time since Castle had met him a few days before.

"Josh, she'd like to see you," the older man said quietly, and Castle felt a pang of hurt rip through him.

The doctor nodded his assent and pushed himself away from the wall, passing through the door Jim still held open. The older man took up the previously occupied space against the wall, studying the writer across from him.

Finally, Castle broke the silence.

"How is she?"

"Tired, hurting, but glad to be alive, happy to see us all there." He paused. "She told me what you did."

"What do you mean?"

"That you tried to talk her out of pursuing this until she kicked you out of her apartment. She didn't mean what she said, by the way, that you were over."

"I know."

"She said she couldn't tell me exactly what happened, but that you saved her life again."

Castle said nothing, his mind going back to that night at the hangar and how desperate he'd been to get her out of there before they killed her.

"Rick," Jim said quietly, pulling the author back to the present. "Thank you for my little girl."

Castle allowed the sincerity to shine through as he met the other man's eyes.

"If there's anything I can do to keep her safe and alive and healthy, you need to know that I'll do it. Always. You have my word."

Jim nodded.

"I know you will."

"Speaking of helping her, sir," Castle began. "I woke up when her doctor was there this morning. He says she's looking at six months of recovery."

"Six months, wow," Jim said, letting out a low whistle.

"But there are treatments and therapy that may help her knock it down to three or four."

"But?" Jim asked.

"But the doctor didn't think her insurance would cover it," Castle sighed. "And if it doesn't, I want to help her."

His partner's father just raised an eyebrow, signalling that he should continue.

"I had plenty of money from Derrick Storm and my other writing, but the Heat books have only increased that amount. I owe that to your daughter. And aside from coffee and the occasional dinner at the precinct, she won't accept my help."

"I know what you mean, son," Jim said with a tired smile. "She doesn't like taking my help either. But I'll do what I can to help her see the wisdom of your ways."

Castle smiled.

"Thank you."

They had been standing there for quite a while, Castle realized, and he hoped Kate was okay. But considering that a doctor was in the room with her and no others had come running, he assumed that she was fine, just wanting to spend a little time alone with her boyfriend.

The door opened, drawing him from his thoughts as Josh stepped out and placed a firm hand on the writer's shoulder.

"I have to go," the doctor said, and Castle thought something sounded off in his voice.

"Oh, okay," he said, a little surprised. "Work?"

Josh shook his head and gave the other man a small, sad smile.

"No, just...just take care of her, okay?"

"Yeah, of course," the writer answered, still trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

"Good," the doctor said, releasing Castle's shoulder to shake Jim's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Beckett. You raised quite a woman."

Jim nodded silently, and Josh took off down the hall, his shoulders a little slumped, the writer thought. He was a few feet away when he looked back at the blue-eyed man who was watching him intently.

"Castle?"

"Mmm?"

"She's all yours."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All Castle characters are the property of Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

* * *

><p>Castle stood dumbfounded, watching the doctor's retreating back until he disappeared around a corner. He came back to his senses when he heard Jim clear his throat.<p>

"Rick," the man said, a slight twinkle in his eye. "I think that's your cue."

The writer still didn't move until a moment later, when Mr. Beckett opened the door and shoved the man back inside the room. Castle stumbled, catching himself before he fell, and looked up to witness one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Kate was propped up in the bed and smirking at him.

"Have a nice trip, Castle?"

"Why yes, Detective, I did," he said, returning her smile. "But if you think you're getting rid of me until next fall, you've got another thing coming."

Then he was by her side and reaching for her, hesitating for a moment.

"Can I hug you?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"Probably better if you don't quite yet," she replied with a soft smile. "But come here."

She found his hand that rested close to hers on the blanket, and twined her fingers with his, tugging on them to send the message that he should lean closer to her.

He drew nearer, but left several inches yet between them.

"Dammit, Castle," she growled. "Can't you follow orders for once? Come here."

He was surprised at her tone, but even weak, pale, and in a hospital bed, she exuded authority and he thought it wise to obey. He leaned further until there was no more than three inches between their faces and his eyes were locked on hers.

"Thank you," she whispered, and he struggled to keep his eyes open at the feeling of her breath on his lips.

"For what?"

"For not giving up on me, even when I kicked you to the curb, for saving my life yet again, for standing with me," she paused, and he swore he could see moisture begin to rise in her eyes. "For being here when I woke up."

He squeezed the hand he held and lifted his other to cup her cheek, keeping his eyes open to look into her emerald depths.

"Always," he breathed, and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Promise?" she asked, a child-like note of pleading clear in her strained voice.

"I do," he affirmed and when her eyes opened again, there was something new there, something he couldn't quite name.

"Rick?" she asked hesitantly.

"Mmm?" he answered, surprised at her use of his first name, which usually only showed up when she was being confrontational.

"I remember," she said softly.

"Remember what?" he questioned, equally quiet in tone.

She graced him with a gentle smile that lit up her whole face. Of all the times he had amused her, touched her heart, brought her a small amount of joy, he had never seen this smile.

"What?" he repeated, and he heard in his own voice a measure of awe.

She turned her hand in his, and her thumb stroked across the sensitive skin at the inside of his wrist, sending shivers up his spine.

"I love you too."

His eyes fell shut, and he felt her nose bump briefly against his as she lifted her face to meet his lips.

This was nothing like their undercover kiss. There was no one watching this time. There was not the tension of knowing this was their only chance. The heat of the first kiss had been a rapid flare; this was a gently warming fire on a cold night. It was sweet and slow and almost unbearably tender. It lasted only a few seconds, but Castle wondered if a whole lifetime might have passed in the moment his mouth was fused to hers.

He heard her head fall back against the pillow and the breathy sigh that escaped her. Gradually his eyes opened to find her still watching him.

"That was..." he paused, and she grinned.

"Amazing?" she supplied.

"I was going to say extraordinary," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "But yeah, amazing works too."

She laughed then, and he promised himself that he would spend the rest of his life working to draw that sound from her throat.

He couldn't take his eyes from her face, so he was surprised when he heard the sound of a clearing throat coming from the direction of the door. He turned away from Kate to find her father leaning into the room with a serious look on his face but a barely visible twinkle in his eye.

"Dr. Andrews is here," he said. "He'd like to check on our patient."

Castle nodded and straightened, but not before pressing a quick kiss to Kate's cheek. He stepped away from the bed and was about to release her when her fingers tightened around his.

"Stay?"

"Of course," he said, reaching with his free hand to pull a chair alongside the bed as the doctor came in and greeted them both. Jim came to stand next to Castle, leaving the other side with her monitors accessible to the doctor.

"How are you feeling, Detective?" he asked kindly.

"Not great, but better than I expected actually," she said honestly.

"Yes, well, you're on the good drugs, so I'm not surprised," he said with a chuckle. "All the same, I'm glad to see you awake and coherent."

He proceeded to explain the damage that had been done by the bullet and what repairs had been made, plus lay out out a recovery plan that had her cringing at how long it would take.

"You do have some other options," he said, casting a glance at Castle. "They would shorten that time dramatically, but I took the liberty of checking with the billing department and they are not covered by your insurance."

"How dramatically are we talking?" the detective asked.

"You'd be looking at three or four months, rather than six, most likely."

"Wow," she whispered just loud enough for the three men to make it out.

"Kate," Castle said gently, squeezing her hand. "Let me help you with this."

As she turned to look at him, he could see the war she was waging, the battle between wanting to be back to full strength sooner and giving up even a small measure of her independence.

"Rick, I..." she began, but he cut her off.

"Please," he was begging now. "Please Kate, I want to do this for you."

He leaned in to lift her hand to his lips.

"I owe you my life many times over, not to mention the success of my most recent books. And if it makes any difference, you should know that I'd do the same thing for Lanie or Javier or Kevin."

She stared at him for a long moment, and he could almost feel her searching his soul, weighing his sincerity and his intentions. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," she repeated. "I mean, what's the use in having a rich boyfriend if you don't take advantage of the perks now and then, right?"

Castle let out the breath he'd been holding in a chortle as Jim grinned and Dr. Andrews nodded.

"Well then, since everything looks good at this point, I'll leave you three alone. I'll need to consult with a few of my colleagues, and sometime in the next few days, we'll sit down and hash out our next steps. For now, rest. I'll have a nurse come in and check on you in a bit."

The doctor took his leave, and Jim took his place on Kate's other side.

"I'm going to call Lanie," Castle announced. "She'll want to know that you've woken up. And I need to let Alexis and Mother know as well."

He looked at Kate for a moment, noticing that she was blinking much more than a few minutes before and seemed to be holding off sleep.

"Maybe they can come visit later," he said quietly, leaning toward her again. "I think you need to rest now."

She nodded sleepily, giving him a slight smile.

"I'll be back in a bit," he said to both of the Becketts before moving so his mouth was right next to her ear.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered and glanced at his partner's father who had turned away to give them a small modicum of privacy.

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

"And feel free to take advantage of me anytime."

She was nearly under already, but a ghost of a smile upturned her lips, and he felt his heart pound a little harder in his chest. He was a lucky, lucky man.


End file.
